Pulsed oscillator



pril 29, 1947.

E. LABIN PULSED OSCILLATOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 7. 1942 Arfp' fr/vrom! (pis/NED 7a' DEL/VER "www Arma/EY u Patented Apr. 29, 1947 PULSED OSCILLATOR Emile Labin, New York, N. Y., assignor to Federal j Telephone & Radio Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application March 7, 1942, Serial No. 433,762

9 Claims.

with sufficient power so that these can be further radiated to long distances without additional amplification. It is also an object to provide such a system which shall be readily portable and especially adapted for use on ships or in the field especially in gunre control systems and other radio location systems and/or in direction nding systems.

` More particularly, it is an object of my invention to provide a system for radiating wave *pulses of high power in a direction which can be tilted or otherwise rotated.

It is known that in connection with direction finding and radio location it is advantageous to radiate wave pulses from an antenna system rotatably mounted so as to be capable of rotation about a vertical or horizontal axis, or both. It has been proposed to effect this by providing a flexible or hinged connection between Ithe wave pulse transmitter and the radiating antenna, but such fiexible or hinged connection has been found to be a source of weakness and trouble, especially when wave pulses having a carrier frequency of several hundred megacycles and a peak power of several hundred kilowatts are to be radiated. To avoid these difficulties it would be possible to arrange the complete transmitter, including the oscillation generator, modulator and the high tension power supply equipment therefor as one integral unit rigidly connected to the antenna and then to mount such unit in rotary fashion so that the unit could be rotated vertically or horizontally as desired. Such an arrangement, however, necessitates very heavy mounting means and considerable power for effecting the rotation since thercomplete transmitter equipment for an installation of several hundred kilowatts peak power would ordinarily weigh hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds.

, In order to avoid these disadvantages it has also been proposed to arrange only the actual oscillation generating stage of the transmitter equipment as an integral unit rigidly connected to the antenna structure and then to mount this unit rotatably, while arranging the heavy power transformers and rectifier equipment in a separate unit which is mounted in stationary fashion. Such a system has the grave disadvantage that the high tension D. C. power for the oscillation generator equipment must be transmitted from the stationary power supply unit to the (Cl. Z50-36) 2 f movable oscillation generator unit and thus must necessarily pass through a flexible cable, a hinged conductor, or some equivalent arrangement, anyone of which is likely to cause trouble when sub- 5 jected to unduly high voltages. It has therefore, in the past, been necessary to limit the anode supply voltage of the oscillation generator to a moderate value which could safely be carried through the flexible, hinged, or otherwise jointed conductor arrangement which extends between the fixed and .the movable units. This limitation on theanode supply voltage makes it more difficult to attain high efficiency and high output.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to -overcome the above disadvantages.

More particularly it is an object of my invention to provide a wavepulse radiating systemV wherein high power wave pulses are radiated from a comparatively light, readily movable unit,

and wherein the high frequency oscillationg'enerator is Supplied with very high-tension D. C. plate Supply power and wherein, also, all high- Itension D, C. power transmission and all short-- lower voltage than the voltage required for ecient operation of the oscillation generating circuit is then provided in the stationary unit and is connected through a fiexible cable or Vjointed conductor arrangement to the movable unit with its inductive modulator, oscillation generator, and antenna.

By virtue of the voltage magnifying action of such inductive modulator the medium high voltage supply from the D. C. power supply unit is raised to a much higher voltage before application to the oscillation generating circuit, thus enabling the latter circuit to operate with higher efficiency and with high peak power. At the' same time, by virtue of the moderate voltage of the D. C. power supply unit, the diiculties encountered when transmitting high tens-ions between the two relatively movable units are overcome. Thus ordinary flexible cables or conventional types of hingedl joints, such as slip-ring joints, can be used to carry the medium-hightension power from the fixed power supply unit to the movable unit containing the modulator, oscillation generator, and antenna.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an especially eiiicient and compact modulator' of the inductive type which shall be particularly suitable for use in the combination above mentioned but which shall also be advantageous for; other uses.

'Ihe exact nature of my invention may best be understood from the following detailedA description taken from the attacheddrawings in which Fig. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of a system embodying my invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are elevations showing specific embodiments of the type of system schematically represented in Fig. 1.

Referringmto-all three'Figs. 1,-3, itwill` beeseen that a; system embodying my invention may consist principally ofamedium high tension D. C. power supply'source |00, 200, or 3D0 connected through some sort of rotatable conductor arrangement ||0,- 2|0, or 3|0 to a movable transmitter. unit, |20, 220, or- 320.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, it will appear that the medium-high-tension D. C. power supply source |00 is of conventional construction comprising afstep-up transformer a-pairofrectier tubes I 02, |03, a iilament transformer |04,and a suitable high tension smoothing iilter |05. It will be understood, however,y that this power source may be. of 3-phase or 6- phase type in order to `minimize the amount oi ripple to be'smoothed and thus reduce the size and Weight of-filter |05-, It will also be understoodthatin many cases this iilter |05 may be Wholly or partially dispensed with. The output fromthepower source |00 is preferably between 3,000 and'14,000 volts. Infact I prefer tokeep this voltagebelow-11,000 volts for most portable systems to be employedlin the open.

The medium-high-voltage output from the unitY |00 is thenpassed-through some sort of rotatable conductor arrangement-H0. In Fig. 1 this arrangement is representedV as consisting of. two rigid double-conductor lines joined by a rotatable. jointof the slipring type, but it will be understood that some other typefof rotatable joint or hinge may be used, or; that the rigid conductors mayk insteadbe` replacedfby conductors .which are. inherently suiiiciently flexible to allow relative movement of the units |00and |20 thus avoiding the :need for any special joint. in any case, however, the conductor arrangement which interconnects theunits |00v and |20 must be capable of bending, twisting'or tilting, and. all such conductor: arrangements may be generically referred toas rotatablev c-onductor arrangements.

The medium-high-tension power which is supplied through rotatable conductor arrangement ||0 to the unit |20 is appliedin accordance with my invention, to an inductive modulator which effectively. magnies this voltage to a substantially higher valuer before applying. itin thevform of; brief: pulses tcl-the actual oscillation generatingr; circuit |301. rlfhe.-inductivemodulator' which effects this voltage. magnificationv essentially comprisesa high power. inductive device |2| con-- nectedinseries with thespace path of a. vacuum tube |22'.

Thepreferred embodiment of device |2| isa transformer having; a; primary winding |2| and asecondary winding |2|", the primary winding |2| "beingconnectedin series with the space path of tube |22 and,A the medium-high-tension voltage from power source.` 00.. The secondary winding |2|" is connected to the input of this. tube |22, i. e. between the grid and cathode, in series a with a low impedance R.-C. circuit |25. This R.-C circuit may be placed inthe grid leg, but is preferably in the cathode leg as shown, so as to be traversed not only by the grid current but also by the plate current. A resistance |23 is shunted around secondary |2|" to minimize the extent of impedance variation of the load on this secondary. An ultra short wave oscillator |30, which may for the present be regarded merely as a load havingeffective resistance and capacity, is connectedacross primary I2 l'. A by-pass condenser l24 is connected across the medium-hightension supply from conductor arrangement ||0.

The manner of operation of the inductive modulator. is as follows:

(0a.) The condenser of circuity |25 is normally charged so as to maintain the cathode-substantially more positive than the grid'of tube |22 so that this tube is normally non-conductive. Grradf `ually the charge of this condenser leaks off through the associated resistor of-circuit |25 until nally after a suitable interval (e. g. 3030,000 microseconds) the negative grid bias becomes just equal to the bias required for cutoff.

(la) Now the space path of tube |22 commences to pass current. This current flows from the positive side of power source |00 through rotatable conductor arrangement l0, winding |2| space path of tube, |22,.resistance-condenser circuit |25, thence back over conductor arrangement l0 to the negative side of the power source` |00. As this current builds up, the increase thereof inducesin secondary |2 avoltagetending to make the grid of |22 strongly positive. Thus, the space path becomes still more conductive which in turn permits the current to rise still faster thereby inducing a still greater positive voltage on the grid. By virtue. of such cumulative action the grid very rapidly becomes so intensely positive that thespace path of tube |22' has a negligible impedance compared to the impedance of winding I2 All this occurs in a very. short time, e. g. 1. microsecond or less.

(1b) The current now continues to rise, being limited almost wholly by the inductance |2|' which isA now the predominant impedance of the circuit. During the passage of this current the condenser of circuit |25 becomes gradually charged so. as to make the cathode more and more positive, but by reason of the very high potential ofthe grid at this time the space path of the tube still continues to be highly conductive.

(2a) After a suitable charging interval (say 15 to microseconds) the, rate of building up of the current will become. comparatively small. This reduction in the rate of increase of the currentmay beinitiated either by approaching the saturation current capable of being carried by the space path of tube |22 or by approaching the equilibriumcurrent determinedby the resistance of the space path of tube. |22 and the voltage` of the power supply; alternatively, the decrease in the rate of growth ofthe current may be initiated by actually building, up sucha high charge ln the condenser of circuit |25 as to bring the cathode to a potential somewhere near that ofthe grid. Whatever its` cause, the reduction in currentacceleration, producesa, reduction in the E. M. F; induced'in secondary |2|, thus diminishing the positive. potential on the grid of tube. |22 to4 a. point where the, impedance of the space path is no longer negligible. The impedance of this`space. path then causes the current to decrease; and this decrease in turn makes the grid negative. |This mutual action results in very rapidly bringing the grid to a high enough negative potential to wholly cut off all current through tube |22. This action may take place within a fraction of a microsecond.

(2b) The above described abrupt termination of the current through tube |22 causes a voltage surge by reason of the self-inductance of transformer |2| and especially that of primary winding |2|'. The peak voltage value of this surge and the duration thereof depend principally upon, first, the inductance of winding |2|, second, the natural oscillation frequency of this winding (taking into account its own distributed capacities as well as the capacities of tube |22, oscillator |30 and the associated wiring) third, the resistance of the load which is effectively connected across winding |2| (taking into account not only the apparent resistance of oscillator |30 but also the value of resistance |23 as viewed through the transformer |2|), and fourth, the peak Value of the current which was iiowing through winding |"2|' at the instance of cut-01T. These parameters may be designated respectively L, F0, R and Im.

In terms of L and Im one can readily compute Es, the amount of energy stored in the inductive device, by the formula Es=5LIm2 l06 ergs.

In order to obtain the maximum peak power delivered to load R from an inductive device of given inductance L and a given natural frequency Fu, the resistance of the load should be equal to the critical damping resistance Rc as given by the following formula: Rc==frLFo.

If the actual load resistance R equals Re as above explained, then the following formulae are l. applicable for computing Vm, the peak voltage,

and Wm, the peak power of the pulse as well as Td, the effective duration of such pulse (the eiective duration being defined as the time during which the pulse has more than half its peak amplitude) z The above formulae may be applied to certain typical circuits as follows:

Low 'voltage circuit L=70 10*3 hys.; Fo=36 kc./sec.; Im=1 amp. Esi350,000 ergs.

Vm= 5800 volts (assuming R=R) Wm= '-4200 watts (assuming R=Re) TdlS microseconds (assuming R=R) Medium voltage circuit Rc8000 ohms Waal-1,500 volts (assuming R=Re) WmiZ'l kilowatts (assuming R=Rc) Tae-#2.6 microseconds (assuming R=R) High voltage circuit It will be noted that the three circuits above computed have energy storage capacities of the same general order of magnitude (i. e. of the order of lil/ergs) but yield very different powers because of the different durations of the surges.

In accordance with my invention it is preferred in most cases to design the inductance for storing at least 300,000 ergs of energy, and to make the duration of the surge so short as to obtain'a power of the order of several kilowatts or more. I deem it generally desirable to design the inductive device to have a natural frequency above 30 kilocycles (taking into account the associated wiring and tube capacities as well as its own capacity). Such design will give an effective duration Td of about l5 microseconds if the eiective load resistance is Re, and will in any case give a duration of less than 20 microseconds if the load is of the same general order of magnitude as Re. Prefer- -ably the effective duration of the surge should be less than 6 microseconds.

The same voltage surge which delivers to the oscillator |30 the high voltages and high peak powers above discussed also induces in secondary |2 a high negative voltage. It should be noted that a very considerable negative voltage is required on the grid at this instant in order to maintain the tube blocked in spite of the very high positive surge on the plate. But this required voltage, though high, is still much lower than the plate voltage. If the amplification factor of the tube is 20 for example, there need only be a little more than 17420 as much negative voltage on the grid as positive voltage on the plate at this instant. In the case of the high voltage circuit above computed this would require only a little 'more than 1300 volts negative potential on the grid.

Preferably, however, the transformation ratio of the device |2| is much greater than that which would suiiice to give the required negative bias on the grid at this instant, this transformation ratio being chosen fairly high in order to give optimum conditions during the charging period when current is being built up in the inductive device and being preferably between 0.5 and 0.8.

In order therefore to avoid the generation of unnecessarily large negative potential on the grid at the instant of cut-off, a resistor |23 is shunted around the secondary winding |2|. The effect of the resistance |23 is to substantially reduce the negative surge applied tothe grid during the discharge portion of the cycle, thus minimizing the danger of a breakdown from grid to cathode. At the same time the resistor |23 makes no appreciable difference in the amplitude of the positive potential applied to the grid during the charging portion of the cycle, since the impedance of the grid at this time is so low that the loss to the resistor |23 may be neglected. The value of resistor |23 is not critical. It is merely necessary that this resistor be large compared vwith the grid resistance during the charging portion of the cycle while at the same time the resistor must be low enough to limit the negative surge on the grid to a safe value during the discharge portion of the cycle. To prevent this shunt resistance from draining too much power from the primary during the discharge interval (which would decrease the peak voltage and peak power delivered to the load |30) the coupling factor is best taken to be substantially less than unity-preferably4 between 0.6 and 0.9 so that the secondary has a substantial leakage reactance. Thisleakage reactance also aids in limiting the peak negative grid voltage to a safe value. Also this leakage reactance delays the instant of maximum positive grid potential during the charging interval so that this grid voltage peak more nearly coincides with the instant of maximum plate current.

'lhisfy effect alsofis-advantageousand tendsl t' increase -the` amount of energy which can` be stored during the charging interval.

The-,foregoing preferred proportions for the transformer step-down ratio, the secondary leakage'reactance,v and thefresistive shunt around the secondarywinding are applicable for use with the-circuit shown in Fig. 1 or circuits essentially similar thereto. More generally l(and regardless ofthe type of'circuit) the inductive device |2| should-be a high power devicedesigned for storing, at least 300,000 ergs of energy when traversed bya current of a magnitude which can readily be handled by the space path of tube I 22. In general also .the-inductive device |2I should, as previously mentioned, have a natural frequency higher than 30 rkilocycles per second (and preferably higher thanglkcl/secd. The natural frequency of theinductive ,device is herein understood to mean the lowestfrequency at which such inductive deviceis naturally resonant when connected in its circuit,. disregarding the eiects of circuit resistance but takinginto account the inherent distributed-capacity notonly of the device itself but-.alsoA of the wiring and tubes associated there- With.-

Thus, `for example, the plate filament capacity of `tube |22 vmay be considered as effectively connected A across primary winding |2| (assuming that capacitators |24 `and |25 are very large), while thegrid plate capacity of this tube 22 may be` considered as effectively connected between the upper ends of windings |2| and 2 Similarly, thegrid lament capacity of |22 may be considered as-.connected across winding I2 Also `the capacity-of the complete oscillation generator,|30 may be considered asconnected across primary Winding. |2| Thusthe inductive device |2| should have a natural resonance above 30,000 cycles, and .preferably above 60,000 cycles, per second when connected to all of the circuit elements as shown in Fig. l but with the resistor |23 removed and the resistive component of oscillation generator |30eliminated. Even if transformer 12| be replaced `by a single inductance coil orby. a 3-winding transformer the above criteria with respect` to energystorage capacity and natural frequency can be.. considered valid.

I'he oscillator |30. has heretofore notbeen considered. in detail .but has rather been considered merely as a load into which the surges from inductive device 2| were to be delivered. Preferably such oscillator consists of a push-pull tunedplate, tuned-gridoscillator of the type wherein lecher wires are used fortlle tuned circuits.Y As` shownin Fig. 1 two tubes |3|, |32 are connected inpush-pull with a lecher loop |33 tuning their plates and another lecher loop |34 tuning their grids.V Alleak-and-condenserlcircuit |35 provides biases for the grids in usual fashion.

Two conductors |38`and |39 serve to convey surgeenergy'from inductiveA device |2| to the plate and cathode .circuits of the oscillator. As

shown;.these'conductors |38.and |39are prefer-4 ably.short,rigi d conductorsvery well insulated so asto be capable of withstanding :the maximum surge `voltages with asubstantial factor of safety. Thesurge voltage applied over these conductors |38and |39 may bev considered as the `B supply for-the oscillatorI |30. Sincefthis `B supply isyof veryshort duration andy varies somewhat even duringitseffective duration, the wave train generated byoscillator |30 .will correspondingly be of-short durationand willprobably-alsovary in amplitude more or` less "gradually,` The build up time is lordinarily substantially lshorter fthanathe.i

dying-down time -In someinstances it may be desirable to,ter..

minate the wave train generated by oscillator |30 somewhat earlier `than this oscillation wouldnaturally end by virtue of thetdying down of the pulse serving as B supply. In order to accomplish this the grid of modulator tube |22 may be` connected through an inductance 36 to the grids p -of the oscillator |30, the value of the inductance |36 being so proportionedwith respect to the capacity of the leak-and-condenser circuit |35 as to give a desired delay before the oscillationsare. extinguished. Preferablyl the inductance of coil. |36 divided by the capacitance of leak-and-condenser circuit |35 ,is of the same order of magnitude as the square of the resistance of this leakand-condenser circuit. The value of the coil |36 and the capacity of the circuit |35 may be adjusted to give a delay time slightly longer than the.l effective duration of the pulse transmittedfrom4 inductive device |2| to the oscillator |30.r Thus,4

for example, iftheeiective duration of this pulse were 13 micro seconds, thel delay might be adjusted to be a few micro seconds longer than 13 micro seconds, so that the oscillations generated by oscillator |30 .would be cut offa few micro seconds .after they had died below half their peak.

amplitude.

The Waves from oscillator |30 are radiated by a dipole |62 which is coupledto the lecher` wires |43 by a tuned output loopv |4|, and the radiation from this antenna |42 may be focused by a reflector M3. Preferably, the antenna y|-ll2 and the` reflector |43 are rigid with respect to oscillation generator |30 and the modulator, including,l tube l 22 and inductive device l2 is also mount--4 ed in iixecl relationship to the oscillation genera-. tor |30 so as to permit the use of `very short rigid. connections |38 and |39 for transmitting the-highA vantageous features of my invention. can be. realized by providing some other type of inductive. modulator capable of magnifying the voltage supplied to it and of then applying such magnified voltage in the form of very brief pulses to the.

oscillation generator. An externally excited in-vv ductive modulator comprising an inductance and modulator tube somewhat as in-so-called Heising 'plate modulation couldbe used, for example, if af suitable wave form were applied to the grid thereof so as to cause brief intense voltage surges to be generated bythe inductance. Such an arrangement, however, would have the disadvan-` tage that very vsubstantial control voltages would` be required to be fed to the grid of the modulator and these control .voltages moreover would have a very irregular and sharp wave form lwhich would contain many high harmonics. Ihe transmission of such a high voltage abrupt Wave form controlling signal to the modulator wouldbe attended with substantial difcultiesand thus some of the advantage resulting from decreasing. the.

D. C. voltage to be transmitted between the units |00 and |20 would be lost.'

Accordingly, it isv preferred; to employinthez general combination:of my invention .aI magnetic modulatorgof the self-excited-type wherein the modulation is wholly or principally derived from the output of the modulator itself by means of a regenerative feedback connectionpreferably an inductive feedback connection. It will be understood that a small amount of energy may be externally applied to the grid or cathode of tube |22 in order to synchronize the pulses produced by this tube with some external source. Nevertheless, I prefer that the major part of the control energy required in the input circuit of the modulator tube |22 be derived from the output circuit of this tube itself.

Although the magnetic modulator shown in the left-hand portion of unit |20 in Fig. 1 has been described only in connection with the combination of a D. C. power source |00, rotatable conductor arrangement l0, and a movable transmitter |20, it should be understood that such magnetic modulator having self-excitation is capable of many other applications and that the provision of such modulator is in itself one of the objects of my invention.

It is believed that Fig. 1 clearly illustrates the nature of my invention both with respect to the specific preferred type of magnetic modulator having self-excitation and also with respect to the general combination of a medium-tension power supply unit connected to a movable transmitter unit through a movable conductor arrangement with some sort of voltage magnifying modulator of the impulse modulating type disposed inside of the transmitter unit so as to step up the medium high voltage before feeding it to an oscillator. Nevertheless for the sake of completeness certain embodiments of the invention are shown in less schematic form in Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2 the medium-high-tension D. C. power supply 200 is shown as being rigidly attached to a platform 2| which forms the support for a rotation joint of the slip ring type (generally designated as 2|0).

The slip-ring joint comprises a flanged cylinder 2|2 bolted to the base 2|| and provided with a porcelain core 2|3 through which extends a cen.. tral conductor 2|4. A wiper 2|5 rigidly supported by insulator 2|5' from transmitter unit 220, wipes over the upper end of this conductor 2|4, while another wiper 2|6 wipes over a slip ring `2|'| which may be integral with the upper portion of flanged cylinder 2|2. A spider member 2|1is journaled on the outside of this cylinder 2|2 and is provided with three arms to support thetransmitter unit 220. Bus bars 2|8a, 2|8b connect the positive and negative medium tension D. C. outputs of unit 200 to cylinder 2|2 and central conductor 2|4, respectively, while bus bars 2|8c, 2|8d connect the wipers 2|6 and 2|5, respectively, to the positive and negative D. C. inputs of the transmitter unit 220.

A gear 2|9 is fixed to spider member 2|1 and is driven through suitable reduction gearing from a motor or manual control (not shown) to rotate spider 2 1 and transmitter unit 220.

In Fig. 3 another embodiment of my invention is illustrated. Unit 300 corresponds generally to unit 200, being a medium-high-tension D. C. power source. Power source 300 is illustrated as mounted in a trailer and as fed by an enginedriven 110-volt A. C. generator. The transmitter unit 320 corresponds generally to unit 220 of Fig. 2 but is mounted on a stand 32| which is arranged to permit two degrees of rotation, e. g. tilting and horizontal rotation, instead `of merely one degree of rotation as shown in Fig. 2. The output of power source 300 is applied to transmitter unit 'lo 320 through a. iiexible cable 3 l 0 which may be an ordinary medium-high-tension flexible cable insulated with rubber or with a rubber-styreneV compound and capable of withstanding a voltage of 6000 volts under adverse weather conditions and with a reasonable factor of safety.

This flexible cable 3|0 corresponds in a very general way to the rotation joint 2|0 of Fig. 2 since both of these serve the same purpose of permitting relative rotation between the units which they interconnect. The expression rotatable conductor arrangement will be understood as generically referring to any twistable or bendable arrangements (whether jointed or inherently flexible) which permit relative rotation between the units which they interconnect.

The transmitter units 220 or 320 may have rigidly attached thereto receiving antennae or even complete receiving equipments (not shown) in order to perform the functions of detecting or accurately locating remote aircraft, ships or the like.

Although I have described and shown certain embodiments of my invention for the purpose of illustration, it will be understood that variations, alterations and adaptations thereof occurring to one skilled in the art may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A wave train generating system comprising a first unit including a direct current source of predetermined voltage; a second unit including an oscillation generating circuit adapted to convert direct current energy of substantially higher voltage than said predetermined voltage into high frequency wave energy; rotatable conducting means extending between said units to provide galvanic 4connection therebetween while still permitting relative movement thereof; means in said second unit for converting direct current energy of said predetermined voltage into brief pulses of substantially higher voltage direct current energy; and highly insulated rigid connections for delivering said higher voltage direct current energy to said oscillation generating circuit for conversion into brief trains of high frequency waves.

2. A wave train generating system comprising a rst unit including a direct current source of predetermined voltage; a second unit including means for converting direct current energy of said predetermined voltage into brief pulses of substantially higher voltage than said predetermined voltage, and oscillator means for converting said energy of said substantially higher voltage into high frequency wave energy; and conducting means connecting said direct current source to said converting means, the maximum voltage safely applicable to said conducting means being substantially lower than the maximum voltage safely applicable to said oscillator means.

3. A system for generating brief trains of high frequency waves, which comprises a stationary powerv supply unit including a direct current source of predetermined voltage; a rotatably mounted generator unit including circuit breaking means, aninductive device connected to said circuit breaking means, and an oscillation generating circuit adapted to convert direct current energy of substantially higher voltage than said predetermined voltage into high frequency wave energy; rotatable conducting means extending between said units to provide galvanic connection therebetween while. still'permitting relative 11 t movement thereof, the maximum voltage safely applicable toV said conducting means Vbeing substantially lower than the maximum voltage safely applicable to said oscillation generating circuit; connections including said rotatable conducting means for passing current from said source through said inductive device and said circuit breaking means in series whereby said inductive device stores energy; means for periodically controlling said circuit breaking means to render the latter abruptly non-conductive, whereby said stored energy gives rise to brief surges of substantially higher voltage than the voltage of said power source; and highly insulated short rigid conductor means for transmitting said surges from said inductive device to said oscillation generating circuit whereby the energy thereof is converted into brief trains of high frequency waves.

4Il. A system for generating brief trains of high frequency' waves, which comprises a stationary power supply unit including a direct current sourceI of predetermined voltage; a rotatably mounted generator unit including an electron discharge Tdevice having a space path and control electrode means for varying the conductivity throf,.an inductive device connected to said space path, and an oscillation generating circuit adapted to convert direct current energy of substantially higher voltage than said predetermined voltage into high frequency wave energy; rotatablegc'onducting meansrextending between said units Ato provide galvanic connection therebetweenfwh'ile still permitting-relative movement thereof, the maximum voltage safely applicable to saidoconducting means being substantially lower-than the maximum voltage safely applicableytonsaid oscillation generating circuit; connections including said rotatable conducting meansl for passing current from said source through said inductive device and said space path infseries whereby said inductive device stores energyr; blockinggmeans for periodically applying a negative potential to said control electrode means tovrender said space path abruptly non-conductive,whereby said stored energy gives rise to brief surges of Vsubstantially higher voltage than the-voltage of said power source; and highly insulated short rigid conductor means for transmitting vsaid surges from said inductive device to said oscillation-generating circuit whereby the energy thereofis converted into brief trains of high frequency waves.

`5.-A system for generating brief trains of high frequencywaves, which comprises a stationary power supply unit including a direct current source of -predetermined voltage; a rotatably mounted generator unit including an electron discharge device having aspace path and control electrode means for varying the conductivity thereof, an inductive device connected to said space path, and an oscillation generating circuit adapted` to convert direct current energy of substantially higher voltage than said predetermined voltage into high frequency wave energy; rotatableconducting means extending between said units to provide galvanic connection therebetween while still permitting relative movement thereof, the maximum voltage safely applicable to said conducting means being substantially lower than the maximum voltage safely applicable to said oscillation generating circuit; connections including said vrotatable conducting means for passing current fromsaidA source through said yinductive -'device andY said space path in series whereby said anarco inductive device stores energy; feedback means for regeneratively feeding energy from said inductive device to 'said control .electrode means whereby in response to a small decreaserof 'effective conductivity of said space path said feedback means acts to effectively abruptly open said space path; timing means for periodically decreasing the effective conductivity of said space path to periodically initiate such effective opening thereof, whereby said stored energy gives rise to brief surges of substantially higher voltage than the voltage of said power source; and means for transmitting said surges from said inductive'device to said oscillation generating circuit whereby the energy thereof is converted into brief trains of high frequency waves.

6. A system for generating brief trains of Vhigh frequency waves, which comprises a stationary power supply un'it including a direct current source of predetermined voltage; a rotatably mounted generator unit including an electron discharge device having a space path .and control electrode means for varying the conductivitythereof, an inductive device connected to said space path, andan oscillation generating circuit adapted to convert 'direct current energy of substantially higher voltageV than said predetermined voltage. into high'frequency wave energy; rotatable conducting means extending between said units to provide galvanic connection.

therebetween while still permitting relative movementrthereof, the maximum voltage safely applicable to said conducting means being substantially lower than the maximum voltage safely applicable to said oscillation generating circuit; connections 'including said rotatable conducting means for applying voltage from said source to said inductive device and said space 'path in series; feedback means for regeneratively feeding energy from' said inductive device' to said control electrodemeans, whereby in response to a small increase of effective conductivity of said space path said feedback means effects a rapid large increase in the conductivity thereof while in response to a small decrease of su'ch effective conductivity said feedback means acts to effectively abruptly open said space path ;r timing means for periodically increasing the effective conductivity of said space path to initiate said .large increase in conductivity whereby said i inductive device stores energy; means for thereafter decreasing the effective conductivityl of said space path to periodically initiate such effective opening thereof, whereby said stored energy lgives rise to brief surges of substantially highervvoltage than the voltage of said power source; and means Nfor transmitting said surges from said inductivedevice to saidoscillation generating circuit whereby the energy thereof 'isy converted into brief trains of high frequency waves.

7. A wave train generating system according to claim 6 wherein ysaid inductive Adevice comprises a transformer primary while-said feedback means comprise a secondary inductively coupled lto said -primaryj and connected to applyk induced E. M. F. to :said control electrode, -andwherein said timing means comprise a resistive-capacitative circuit connected in series withsaidisecondary. A

8. A wave train generating systemsaccording to claim 6 -wherein said inductive device comprises a transformer primary-while said feedbackV means Acomprise a secondary inductively coupled to said primary with a coupling coeliicient betweenig91anl .5 and connected to apply induced E. M. F. to

13 said control electrode, and wherein said timing means comprise a resistive-capacitazive circuit connected in series with said secondary, ,which further comprises a resistance shunted around said secondary.

9. A system for generating brief trains of high frequency waves, which comprises a stationary power supply unit including a direct current source of predetermined voltage; a rotatably mounted generator unit including an electron discharge device having a space path capable of carrying a predetermined current, and control electrode means for varying the conductivity thereof, an inductive device connected to said space path and having sufficient inductance to store at least 300,000 ergs of magnetic energy in response to the flow of said predetermined current while having a natural frequency of at least 30 kilocycles per second, and an oscillation generating circuit adapted to convert direct current energy of substantially higher voltage than said predetermined voltage into high frequency wave energy and having an eiective resistance of the order of the critical damping resistance for said inductive device; rotatable conducting means extending between said units to provide galvanic connection therebetween while still permitting relative movement thereof, the maximum voltage safely applicable to said conducting means being substantially lower than the maximum voltage safely 30 2,088,842

applicable to said oscillation generating circuit; connections including said rotatable conducting means for passing current from said source through said inductive device and said space path in series whereby said inductive device stores at least 300,000 ergs of energy; means for periodically applying a negative potential to said control electrode means to render said space path abruptly non-conductive, whereby said stored energy gives rise to surges of less than 20 microsecond s effective duration and of substantially higher voltage than the voltage of said power source; and highly insulated short rigid conductor means for transmitting said surges from said inductive device to said oscillation generating circuit whereby the energyl thereof is converted into trains of high frequency waves of less than 20 microseconds eiective duration.

EMILE LABIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,037,799 Koch Apr. 21, 1936 2,103,362 Hansell Dec. 28, 1937 2,181,568 Kotowski Nov. 28, 1939 Dallenbach Aug. 3, 1937 

